Team Kalitta Qualifying Report – Pomona 1; Kalitta Qualifies No. 1 for the Season Opener

POMONA, Calif., (Feb. 8, 2014) –Doug Kalitta, driver of the “Big Red” Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster parlayed the third quickest run in NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series history into the No. 1 qualifying spot for the season-opening 54th annual Circle K NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona (Calif.). Kalitta’s jaw-dropping 3.713-second pass was also a track record and a career best for the 17-year drag racing veteran. It is Kalitta’s 37th No. 1 qualifying spot in Top Fuel.

Eliminations begin in the morning at 11:00 a.m. (PT).

THE RESULTS:

Doug Kalitta – Driver of the Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster

Q1: 3.756 sec. at 328.30 mph (Two bonus points for second quickest of the session)

Q2: 3.753 sec. at 327.19 mph (Two bonus points for second quickest of the session)

Q3: 3.760 sec. at 328.86 mph (Two bonus points for second quickest of the session)

Q4: 3.713 sec. at 327.98 mph (Career best elapsed time, track record, third quickest run in NHRA history, and three bonus points for quickest of the session)

No. 1 Qualifier

Alexis DeJoria – Driver of the Patron XO Cafe Toyota Camry Funny Car

Q1: 8.285 sec. at 82.68 mph

Q2: 8.327 sec. at 82.74 mph

Q3: 3.997 sec. at 318.32 mph (Quickest pass of her career, became quickest woman in FC history)

Q4: 5.319 sec. at 136.93 mph

No. 3 Qualifier

Del Worsham – Driver of the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car

Q1: 4.040 sec. at 317.72 mph (Two bonus points for second quickest of the session)

Q2: No time (broke)

Q3: 6.686 sec. at 99.78 mph

Q4: 8.532 sec. at 79.57 mph

No.. 6 Qualifier

David Grubnic – Driver of the Optima Batteries Top Fuel Dragster

Q1: 3.830 sec. at 321.96 mph

Q2: 6.005 sec. at 102.25 mph

Q3: 5.699 sec. at 110.69 mph

Q4: 3.862 sec. at 312.50 mph

No. 13 Qualifier

THE COMPETITION:

Top Fuel:

1) Doug Kalitta vs. 16) Sidnei Frigo

13) David Grubnic vs. 4) Bob Vandergriff

Funny Car:

6) Del Worsham vs. 11) Chad Head

3) Alexis DeJoria vs. 14) Gary Densham

About Kalitta Motorsports:

Based in Ypsilanti, Mich., Kalitta Motorsports is a Top Fuel and Funny Car drag racing team in the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association) Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. The team was founded and is owned by drag racing icon Connie “the Bounty Hunter” Kalitta. For more than 50 years, Connie has been involved in the sport as a driver, tuner, and an owner. Kalitta Motorsports is one of the most successful teams in the history of auto racing with five world championships and over 50 national event titles in five different professional drag racing sanctioning bodies since it was established by Connie in 1959.=

Del Worsham drives the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car for Team Kalitta. Alexis DeJoria pilots the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car. David Grubnic drives the OPTIMA Batteries Top Fuel dragster while Connie’s nephew, Doug Kalitta, pilots the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as head tuner for all Team Kalitta entries. He is assisted by co-crew chiefs Jon Oberhofer and Nick Boninfante on the DHL Toyota Camry Funny Car, by Tommy Delago and Glen Huszar on the Patrón XO Café Toyota Camry Funny Car,  and by Jim Oberhofer on the Mac Tools Top Fuel dragster. Connie serves as crew chief on the OPTIMA Batteries Top Fuel dragster.=

Associate sponsors on Kalitta Motorsports’ race cars include Patrón XO Café, Red Line Oil, Technicoat Companies and Summit Racing Equipment.=

For more info about Kalitta Motorsports including exclusive content such as videos, photos and more, please visit www.teamkalitta.com. Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamKalitta. Like Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/KalittaMotorsports. Check out videos about Team Kalitta on our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/user/TeamKalitta. Follow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/TeamKalitta.